


A Hint of Colour

by RunWithWolves



Series: 25 Days of Sweetheart [17]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Soulmates, parent laura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 21:45:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12662028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunWithWolves/pseuds/RunWithWolves
Summary: Every person has a different soulmate marker. For Carmilla, it's all about colour or the lack thereof. However, as a visual artist, Carmilla's not about to let her lack of a soulmate stop her from pursuing her dream job. There's plenty of work to be done in black and white. The colours will show up when they're ready.So what happens on the day when, with no soulmate in sight, the colours start flickering into her vision?It would probably be easier to figure out if someone's kid wasn't busy ogling her tattoos and demanding his own.





	A Hint of Colour

**Author's Note:**

> you really didn't think we'd get through this thing without a least one soulmate story, did you?  
> Also, i'd yet to write something where someone has a kid so check that off the list too.

Considering Carmilla had spent the first 25 years of her life seeing the world in only black and white, she froze when what she could only assume was colour splashed across her vision for the quickest second. The pen in her hand was black and her paper was white, an artist whose soulmate was written in colour but unfound could work with nothing else, but the world around her flashed. She’d been told that grass was green. The sky was blue. The park around alive with colours she didn’t even know.

For just a moment, Carmilla saw it all before it flickered out again.

So she froze, heart in her throat and willing the colours to come back again. No idea what it meant to have them only flash in and disappear. What that meant for her supposed soulmate.

“What’re you drawing?”

Carmilla nearly fell off the park bench when a young voice spoke in her ear. As she struggled to maintain her balance, a small giggle drifted past at her expense. She whipped her head around, scowl on her face, when the world jumped for the second time. The colour bled in just long enough to see the little boy beside her in gleaming technicolour before it vanished again.

The boy bent, picking up her fallen notebook, “It’s pretty,” he said, “like my mom.”

Carmilla took a deep breath, “Hand it over, kid.”

He offered no resistance, “My name’s Taylor. Who’re you?”

“Carmilla.” She eyed him, no more than five years old, his shoes were striped and his shirt had a superhero logo crossing the front. She frowned when she noticed his cheeks were shiny with tears; even though his eyes had dried. He was staring back at her, just as intently with that intense look of concentration that small children get when they’re trying to figure out a puzzle. His gaze landed on her tattoos, tracing the way they swirled down her right arm. Each one was her own design. He studied them very very carefully then looked up at her and grinned. Missing one of his front teeth.

Colour flashed through the world again.

She didn’t have to think about it when Taylor was already talking, “So I’m lost and I was really scared cause I can’t find my mom and I tried staying put like she said but I was scared that the tree monsters were gonna get me. Except then I saw you and I knew that you were good and I wasn’t scared anymore.”

Carmilla blinked, “So you’re a talker.”

“Grandpop says that I’m just like mom!” Taylor beamed at the very idea.

“I’m sure you are,” Carmilla sighed and closed her notebook, tucking her pen behind her ear. This wasn’t what she had planned for her day. She was already late to meet Mattie, “And I bet she’s probably pretty worried if you’re as lost as you say you are.”

Taylor shook his head, “I was lost. But then I found you and now I’m not!”

He bounded towards the bench, struggling with the height but eventually managing to plop down next to Carmilla. Still beaming. Another burst of colour flashing in and out. She stared down at the grinning bundle of human, “Didn’t your mom ever tell you not to talk to strangers.”

Taylor nodded so hard his head almost fell off, “That’s rule one!”

Carmilla let the smallest smile slip out. She could appreciate a fellow rulebreaker. Still, she glanced around the park to see if she could spot the aforementioned mother but no-one seemed to be in sight.

“Will you draw on my arm so it looks like yours?” He was staring at her tattoos again, little fingers clearly wanting to touch but holding back. A well behaved rule-breaker who liked tattoos. Carmilla grinned. She could work with this.

Best to keep the kid here until his mom could find him anyway.

She uncapped her pen, “You think your mom would be okay with it?” 

His grin was literal sunshine, “Yeah! She has these ones too! Can you do mine exactly like yours too? So we match?”

Well. That made things easier. Carefully Carmilla grasped the fragile arm offered towards her and began gently drawing a swooping Raven across a tiny wrist. “So how’d you get so lost anyway?”

His feet kicked gently and he looked at the ground, “Nothing.”

“Uh huh.” Carmilla raised an eyebrow, “You want to try the truth this time?”

Taylor sighed, “Promise you won’t tell Mom?”

Why not. “Cross my heart.”

“I was following my soulmate string.” He held up the little finger on the hand Carmilla wasn’t working on then pointed behind where Carmilla was sitting, “It goes that way. And Mom said that we can follow it when I’m older but I want to know who it is now!”

Every person had a different way of identifying their soulmate. Some had colours, others words. This kid had a string attached to his finger that only he could see and literally tied him to his soulmate. 

At least he still got to see colour.

Carmilla smiled, adding swirls and loops around the raven before bleeding into a panther, “These things don’t happen right away, kid. Your mom’s right. Wait til you’re older.”

“But I don’t wanna.” Taylor grumbled. Then an idea struck him and he almost looked worried, “Do you have your soulmate yet?”

“Not yet,” she said.

He relaxed, slumping back against the bench, “Mom doesn’t either. She says these things take time and that the universe will help us find each other when we’re ready.”

“Your mom sounds like a bit of a romantic.” Carmilla couldn’t help the words but she almost dropped her pen at the reply.

“Mom used to think she didn’t have a soulmate.” Taylor said it like he was talking about the weather, “Now she does. And she says that she used to be sad because she didn’t have any soulmate markers but if she’d had them then she’d never of had me and that I’m the bestest part of her life ever. Plus,” he added, “she knows she’s got a soulmate now! Cause her mark showed up!”

“Has she met them?” Carmilla asked.

Taylor leaned close, watching her work, “Not yet. Even though she’s really pretty. Mom’s right though. The universe does help us.” Then his face bunched, “I guess that means I gotta wait on my string.”

“Learn to drive first,” Carmilla advised, “makes travelling long distances easier.”

“But that’s forever away!” Taylor groaned, “You’ve got to be so old to drive. Like Mom!”

“I drive.”

“Exactly!” He said. 

She didn’t know whether to laugh or be offended. She decided on offended when Taylor squinted down at his arm and said, “That line’s supposed to go the other way.”

“I think I know my own-”

He just pointed to her arm and the offending spot by her own elbow. She held back a swear and changed the line, “You caught all that with a single look? Might be an art career in your future, kid.”

Taylor puffed up his chest, “I’ve tried drawing lots of times before.” His eyes lit up, “You wanna see them?”

“Maybe one day, kid.”

That seemed to be good enough. He nodded, eyes focused as she drew the next line and for a moment, Carmilla almost thought she could see the pink of his tongue clenched between his teeth. “Taylor,” she said slowly, “Can you see colours?”

“Mmmhmmmm,” He said, not really paying attention, “I’m not a baby. I learned them a long time ago. I’m big now.”

Carmilla’s lips twitched, “I’m sure you are.”

Before she could ask a follow-up question, the ring of a phone cut between them. Taylor’s eyes went wide, ripping his arm from Carmilla to dig into his pocket and pull out an old school cell phone.

“Hi Mom!” He chirped.

Carmilla’s eyes bulged. The kid could have called his Mom the entire time?

Apparently, Taylor’s mother felt the same way. “But you said that the phone was for emergencies only and this wasn’t an emergency! I made a friend and I’m not lost anymore so then it stopped being an emergency! Her name’s Carmilla and she draws really good.”

There was a muffle on the other end and Taylor looked up at her, “Yeah. She’s old like you.”

There were more words and Taylor’s lip started quivering, eyes dropping to his shoes, “But she’s not a stranger.” He mumbled. There were more words then the phone was passed to Carmilla, “She wants to talk to you.”

Carmilla stared at the phone and then at Taylor. With a sigh she put the phone to her ear, “Hello?”

“Are you kidnapping my kid?” the words shot down the line, “Because I will find you.”

“Whoa whoa,” Carmilla raised her hand even though Taylor’s mom couldn’t see, “Taylor found me all on his own, practically gave me a heartattack when he snuck up on me. Kid’s a real talker.”

There was something that sounded like relief coming from the other end, “Sorry. I just. That didn’t even make sense because if you were a kidnapper you would have taken his phone. There might have been a little bit of panic on my end. Clouds the brain.”

“Just a touch,” Carmilla said, “I mean, I am a poor artist so I could try kidnapping him if it would make you feel like your panic was more justified?”

The laugh that came down the line made her stomach flip, “I think I’ll pass but thanks.”

There was a pause and Carmilla could hear the sounds of the park through the line. Then, “You know that moment when the panic disappears and then you start feeling everything. That’s what I’ve just hit.”

Carmilla looked over at Taylor who was staring up at her with big eyes. She reached out and carefully used the edge of her sleeve to wipe the tears from his eyes, “He’s okay, cutie. Everything’s fine. Just take a few deep breathes.”

The breaths came through, shaky, but there. Then, “Did you just call me cutie?”

“I don’t have your name.” Carmilla pointed out.

“Laura. But cutie. Really?”

“Call it a hunch.” Carmilla said.

“So I should be calling you sexy?” The words fell out quickly but were followed by a squawk, “I did not mean to say that. I’m so sorry!”

Carmilla didn’t even bother to hide her laughter, “I’ve been called much much worse. You’re definitely okay.” She dropped her voice into a slightly lower husk, “In fact, cutie, I’m flattered.”

There was a sharp intake of breath, “That just isn’t even fair.”

“Who cares about fair?” Carmilla quipped, “Beside, if my sultry tones can calm down a pretty lady down about her missing son then I think it’s very very fair.”

“Calling me pretty now, eh? That’s a little presumptuous.” 

“Taylor said it first.” He perked up when Carmilla said his name, “He’s been singing your praises. Little charmer.”

Laura voice was soft, “He really is.” A pause, “Thanks for looking after him by the way. I don’t suppose I could trouble you to tell me where you are exactly?”

“We’re on a bench in some trees,” Carmilla said, “But there’s a small playcenter nearby? Lots of swings?”

“I know it!” Carmilla smiled at the triumphant tone. “I don’t want to impose on you anymore,” Laura continued,” But would you mind sending Taylor over there and maybe keep an eye on him until I get there.”

“No problem, cutie.”

“I’m rolling my eyes you know.”

“He’ll be there soon.” Carmilla promised.

“Thank you.” Laura’s words were soft, “Thank you so much.”

They hung up and Carmilla handed the phone back to Taylor who tucked it back in his pants, “You know,” she said, “if you’d told me you had that thing then we could have found your mom a lot faster. She sounded worried.”

“But then I wouldn’t have gotten to talk to you!” Taylor objected.

Carmilla gave him a look and then was promptly horrified at how easily parental disapproval apparently settled on her face. She shook her head to clear it, “Well, your mom’s going to meet you over by the playcenter so just scurry on over. I can keep an eye from here.”

“But you have to come meet my Mom!” the words practically exploded out of him as he bounded to his feet on the bench. 

Carmilla shook her head, “I’m already late to meet my sister and trust me kid. You do not want to keep her waiting any longer than absolutely necessary.”

“But-” he started.

He was cut off by a call, “Taylor?”

They both turned. Carmilla spotted a short brunette standing by the playcenter, wearing a blazer with her hands cupped around her mouth. Head twisting as she looked around.

“Mom!” No further prodding was needed as Taylor took off like a shot. Laura noticed him moments before impact, turning just in time to catch him in her arms as he slammed into her. She pulled him close and even at a distance, Carmilla could see the way she pressed kisses to the top of his head.

Carmilla waited long enough for Laura to look up and find her. She gave a quick salute. Laura nodded back at her, still holding Taylor tight. Then Carmilla turned to walk away, opening her phone to find 13 angry texts from Mattie. 

She sighed and walked to the coffee shop.

#

Carmilla didn’t come to the park often but something about the memory of Taylor had her feet taking the broken path through the woods only three days later, settling in on her bench with her sketchbook in hand. Pencils today. Another medium that worked well in her greyscale world. 

She started with her usual designs but it slowly transformed, her pencil tracing the lines of a mother hugging her son tight. Pausing to examine the outline, she couldn’t even pretend they weren’t Taylor and Laura. So she shrugged and kept going. It was a cute memory. Those kind of memories were worth preserving on paper. 

“Carmilla!” Forty pounds of small human slammed into her and knocked her pencil from her hand. The world flashed with colour then vanished. 

She raised an eyebrow but let her smile slip out, “We have to stop meeting like this, kid.”

Taylor grinned at her, shoving her pencil back into her hand, “You came back! We were worried you wouldn’t come back! We even came every single day to try and find you.” His grip on her hand was surprisingly tight, “You have to come meet Mom! Right now!”

Carmilla noticed something else instead. Her drawing was still on Taylor’s arm, smudged but mostly carefully preserved, “Still got the ink?” She couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice.

He took advantage of her disorientation to yank her to her feet, giving her no choice but to stand or hurt him. The small hand curled into her own.

“We’re all matching,” he said it like she was being silly, “I’m not going to wash it off! It’s a family thing. You and me and Mom. You can’t miss each other again!” Taylor pulled her on, grinning. 

Carmilla blinked. Shook her head. “Kid. Wait. What are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry about that,” a familiar soft voice cut in and Carmilla glanced up from Taylor to find soft eyes waiting for her. Laura was smiling but fidgeting slightly, hands twisting together. “we had talked about letting me go first but it seems someone was too eager.” She gave Taylor a fond look.

“We couldn’t lose her again!” Taylor objected, “I had to get her.”

“Look,” Carmilla said, “I’m missing something here. Does the kid want his temporary tattoo redone? Cause I didn’t bring my pens.”

“Yes, please.” Taylor started.

“Later.” Laura’s voice was firm. Taylor instantly quieted but was basically bouncing on his feet. Laura ran a hand through her hair and a nervous laugh trickled out, “Carmilla. There’s no great way to do this so, just give me a second?”

Carmilla frowned. Hesitant but there was such a look of hope in Laura’s eyes, “I can spare a moment, cutie.”

Even if she couldn’t see the red, Carmilla could see the darkening of Laura’s cheeks as she struggled with her blazer. “Carmilla!” she hissed.

“No objections from you,” Carmilla let her smirk leak out, “I called it right. The kid was spot on. You’re very pretty.”

“Told you.” Taylor said.

She hadn’t expected the softness in Laura’s voice, “I’m glad you think so. All things considered.” Then the blazer came off and Carmilla’s jaw dropped. Laura’s arm was covered in tattoos. The same tattoos that were on Carmilla’s arm. The same tattoos that she’d drawn on Taylor’s arm - the ones he said he wanted and seemed to already know like the back of his hand. 

“I’ve never gotten a tattoo in my life,” Laura said, “These just. Appeared. A few years ago and now I’m guessing that was when you got them for the first time.”

Carmilla said nothing, her hand extending to hover over Laura’s arm. Close but not quite touching. Those were her tattoos, her art, written all over Laura’s skin.

Her gaze flicked up, Laura’s grey eyes shining into her own, “I don’t see colours.” Carmilla whispered, “Except. When Taylor showed up. There were flashes.”

Slowly, Laura extended her hand. With a deep breath, without taking her eyes of Laura’s, Carmilla grabbed it. It was like the world shifted. Flipped. Like everything around her did a complete 360 except for Laura’s eyes, their gaze firm and steady as a soft chocolate brown leaked into her irises. 

“Hey, cutie,” Carmilla whispered. 

Laura’s grip tightened. “Hey.” Heavy. Lingering like the thumb that drew soft circles on her tattooed skin, “It’s nice to finally meet my soulmate.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just all the soulmate tropes because i couldn't decide. So we went with ALL OF THEM.
> 
> Nothing like a good soulmate fic for the soul. Thank you cupcakes, for continuing to read my silly little ramblings. Thank you for every comment, every kudos, and every [ tumblr flail.](http://ariabauer.tumblr.com/) Stay stupendous. Aria.


End file.
